Original Range

There’s something to be said about distilleries that keep a low profile, eschewing public attention. You get the feeling they’re focusing on what’s important: whisky. Glencadam is one of these, quietly producing exceptional spirit since 1825. This expression is no exception, achieving a subtle, sweet balance from the years it spent in American oak. 

Islay’s oldest distillery has never been one for half measures or subtle gestures. Bowmore produces a brazenly peated spirit, all heavily smoked and sea soaked. That’s the starting point for this expression; an energetic, lively dram emboldened by a wildly uncompromising youthful spirit that couldn’t wait to erupt from its American oak cask.

Securing a cask from this illustrious distillery is one thing. Bottling it after over three decades in the barrel is another thing altogether. Located on the northeast coast of Islay, Bunnahabhain has achieved cult status, and this sherry-matured dram lives up to the hype, as evidenced by the 94.5 points awarded to it in Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible 2011.

Founded in 1825, Ben Nevis was given new life in 1989 when it was sold to Nikka. Whilst this allowed the distillery to continue producing its traditional, heavy spirit, it means around 75% of its new make goes to Japan annually. As a result, independent bottlings are rare, and rarer still are ones that have spent every second in a sherry cask – for over two decades – as this expression has.